BARBADOS ANNOUNCES 2023 FOOD AND RUM FESTIVAL CULINARY LINE-UP

The Barbados Food and Rum Festival returns for 2023, and the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) has partnered with 22 local chefs and mixologists to showcase the best of Barbados’ culinary talent and cuisine.

The Festival will take place this year, October 19^th-22^nd under the theme ‘Feed the Future’, once again showing the company’s commitment to developing the future of young, local talent.

In addition to the local chef line-up, the BTMI has also partnered with three international chefs as they continue to elevate the Festival on the world stage.

BTMI’s Director of Public Relations and Corporate Communications, Aprille Thomas, said that this year’s group of chefs and mixologists highlighted the diversity of Barbados’ culinary talent.

“This October best in Barbadian culinary talent will be on display. From award-winning mixologists to vegan chefs, we look forward to wowing patrons with new things in the Caribbean and international cuisine,” said Thomas.

2023 Chefs Announcement

This October, the chefs were challenged to create dishes using 50 per cent Barbadian ingredients, rum and a mystery ingredient which they selected from the Mystery Box. Similarly, the mixologists selected their local mystery ingredients for their rum cocktails.

Chef Event Mystery Ingredient

• Damian Leach Liquid Gold Feast Breadfruit
• Seth Hasin-Bromley Liquid Gold Feast Cornmeal
• Creig Greenidge Oistins Scotch Bonnet Pepper
• Trevon Stoute Liquid Gold Feast Sweet potato
• Marvin Applewaite Rise and Rum:
• Breakfast Beach Party Pumpkin
• Adrian Cumberbatch Liquid Gold Feast Five Fingers
• Kiara Riley Rise & Rum:
• Breakfast Beach Party Cornmeal
• Ann-Marie Leach Liquid Gold Feast and
• Rise & Rum:
• Breakfast Beach Party Scotch Bonnet Pepper & Banana
• Javon Cummins Liquid Gold Feast Yam
• Nicholas Ifill Rise & Rum:
• Breakfast Beach Party Cassava
• Pastry Chefs
• Rodney Corbin Rise & Rum:
• Breakfast Beach Party Sorrel
• Shaunté Flatts Liquid Gold Feast Gooseberry
• Jamal Whittaker Liquid Gold Feast Mauby

2023 Mixologists Announcement

• Shane McClean Liquid Gold Feast Clove
• Alex Chandler Liquid Gold Feast Sugar Apple
• Natasha Jules Liquid Gold Feast Cinnamon
• Philip Antoine Liquid Gold Feast Bay Leaf
• Jamaal Bowen Liquid Gold Feast Hibiscus
• Rohan Hackshaw Rise & Rum
• Breakfast Beach Party Tamarind
• Antonio Busby Rise & Rum:
• Breakfast Beach Party Molasses

 International Chefs

Thomas also announced the names of this year’s International chef line-up.

“We welcome the opportunity to once again partner with Food Network’s Chef Anne Burrell from the US, who has been with us for multiple festivals and is a fan favourite. We have also partnered with UK MasterChef, Chef Shelina Permalloo and from Colombia Chef Juan Diego,” said Thomas.

She explained that the US and UK represent the largest percentage of visitors to Barbados and, therefore, believed that this will be a great selling point as they marketed the Festival in these markets.

In fact, the BTMI will be showcasing the Barbados Food and Rum Festival at the upcoming National Geographic Food Festival in London from July 15-17. Two Barbadian mixologists and one chef will be on display, accompanied by UK Chef for the Festival, Shelina Permalloo.

Furthermore, the Director explained that the partnership with Chef Juan Diego was integral as the BTMI continued to further establish Barbados’ presence in the Latin American market, which is considered a new and emerging market. For the BTMI, this partnership and setting up an office in Panama will help the organisation to further solidify its presence in Latin America.